Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Cocktail Girl Doodle

I know I said I was going to post more finished work, and I promise I will at some point. That was actually one of the points of me starting this blog; to kind of have an outlet to experiment with a more finished, illustrative style.

However, I think I'm going to be pretty busy for a while, and I wanted to get a cartoon girl up here. I scanned this one in from my sketchbook, and kind of reworked it in the computer. It still could use a lot more work, but I just couldn't let those Life Sketches sit there forever.

I actually drew it in my sketchbook facing the other way, and then flipped her in the computer. I like to do that sometimes, just to see if the drawing holds up as a mirror image. The danger is that working it from both ways can even out your drawings too much. But I've found that drawings with great variation, like Ed Benedict's or Tom Oreb's hold up great when flipped. My theory is that when you flip your drawing or look at it in a mirror, you are seeing it as you will see it 2 years from now. It gives you a fresh eye, and hopefully seeing that mirror image will allow you to catch all that stuff about your work that will make you cringe 2 years in the future and allow you to correct it all right now.

That being said, I still feel like my drawings are too even, but I think using a mirror or flipping a drawing in the computer is something other artists might enjoy trying out.

I was also wondering does anyone know why my images are so huge when you click on them to open it in a new window?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sweet drawing dude, she's a cutie.

I too need to do more finished drawings and mirror images more.

Unknown said...

Beautiful man. I don't know why you condone serving alcohol to minors, but beautiful nonetheless!
I definitely agree with your theory, though I've never thought of it just that way.

Justin Hunt said...

Hah! I guess she does look pretty young.
I was going to draw a cigarette in her hand too.

I don't know how correct my theory is about the whole 2 years in the future thing specifically, but mirroring/flipping your art definitely helps you see it differently.

Nate said...

Awesome man, your stuff doesn't look too even, it's great, and I would leave this one alone, it's perfect. As for the image size thing, come to my office, and I'll show you how to fix that.

-Nate

shiyoon said...

shit.. that's fresh! really appealing!! I would animate that design~ ^_^

lorelay bove said...

Hi Justin,
I just came across your blog, and I just wanted to tell you how awesome your drawing is. She is so appealing!

Heidi Gilbert said...

Awesome.

Christina Chiusano said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Khylov said...

Great artwork, and great advice - what more can an animator want? I'm kicking myself for being so late in seeing this.

I would dig on seeing her in an environment. She looks like she's trying to find her way through a crowd, to somewhere or someone.

This is going on my desktop. (click)

Muttley s. Weinerschnits said...

Flip your drawing,,,,two years later.........FLIP YOU HUNT! I will bet that when you flipped this, it was barely different then the way you drew it,WHY, because your REALLY GOOD! I've seen drawing that you did 4 YEARS AGO and they're still great drawings. SO an addition to your theory should be that when you revisit your drawing 4 years later you realize the drawing that did 4 years ago wasn't as bad as you thought. You think too much! Stop worrying! I bet your sketchbook is full of great drawings that don't need ''FLIPPIN'' anything else done to them and they should be on your blog! YOU SUCK HUNT,,,,,,, but it's not because your NOT a great artist!!!!!!!!!!! I'm just giving you a hard time, Justin. RAD drawings, man. Your the ''Freshy Freshest!''

Gad said...

i don't know why
but for some reason she looks to me like she was deserted on a desert island